By Susan Larson | The Daily Journal
Published Wednesday, April 4, 2007
Because physical activity promotes a lifetime of wellness, the District Wellness Committee created Fergus Falls Walks, a new program to encourage young people to get active.
The Fergus Falls 544 Education Foundation purchased a pedometer for each child in grades one through four at Adams, Cleveland and McKinley schools. The program started Monday and will end May 15.
In addition to the school day, students will also wear the pedometer at home. Every week students in each classroom will record the number of steps they have taken on a map.
Total steps will be added weekly at each school and recorded on a United States map displayed in each building. The goal is to travel across the country several times.
Alex Phillipe attached his pedometer to his belt loop to participate in the Fergus Falls Walks program.
For safety’s sake, every student is encouraged to walk with an adult, parent or guardian.
As an added bonus, each time a sponsor walks with a child, the student gets credit for the adult’s steps.
“2,000 steps will equal one mile; 20,000 equals 10 miles,” fourth-grade teacher Kathy Kolle announced as she distributed pedometers to her students at McKinley Monday. “It will add up real fast,” she said when students let out a collective groan.
To encourage participation, there will be a competition in each school.
The classroom with the highest average steps per student during the six-week program will receive a popcorn and juice party, donated by the schools’ parent organizations.